Chapter 2

Today was the day.

It was time for Serah to get engaged to Snow at the old mating ritual grounds. The younger Farron sibling had been going on and on about the blonde man and it was driving Lightning insane. She knew Serah was doing it on purpose to annoy her. Maybe is was some sort of revenge for her not treating Snow well. It made the older woman almost wish the two would get the marriage over with so she wouldn't have to hear about it anymore.

As she sat in her living room and waited for Serah to get ready, Lighting's mind wandered to what would happen after the marriage. She didn't want to admit it but part of her was scared. Serah would marry Snow and then would one day leave. It was selfish but Lightning didn't want to be alone, and Serah's presence meant that she never felt that way. But now things would be different. The woman knew it was for the best though. Serah needed to live her own life and didn't need her sister taking care of her forever.

As Snow had been coming over more and more, Lightning realized the big oaf had been growing on her. He treated Serah with kindness and respect. He was always trying to make the younger woman laugh and usually succeeded. Snow always called Lightning 'Sis' and would never grow angry with her no matter what she did to him. He laughed off any of Lightning's insults and never took offence at her glares and harshness towards him. She couldn't help but admire that, though she would never say it to him.

Serah seemed so much happier as well. And that was the biggest reason Lightning was letting this marriage happen. Serah's happiness was the most important thing. Since their parents had passed away, it was up to Lighting to make sure Serah lived the life she deserved.

Both women took to the air once Serah was ready. Many couples would travel to the mating ritual grounds for their engagement, the same one that their draconic ancestors used. There, the couple would perform a dance together. It was not necessary for an engagement or marriage, just something many couples did for good luck and to remember their heritage. Interest had been waning lately however, as the younger generation forgot their roots.

As dragons, their kind lived solitary lives until they found a mate. Once chosen, the couples would usually stay bonded for the rest of their lives, if something did not happen to either partner. Things were different now.

As she flew behind Serah, Lightning wondered what Caius was doing. She hadn't seen him since that day in front of her house. Normally, she saw him a few times a month but not this time. The man did say he would be attending the engagement so Lightning assumed he would there with Snow. The two were old friends and it would be a surprise if he wasn't. Hopefully, the woman thought, she could leave before having to converse with her counterpart.

Caius watched Lightning and Serah glide down to the center of the ritual grounds. It was a large flat area, covered in lush grass and blooming flowers. It was the perfect time for an engagement. There was no other people in sight as Lightning had made sure that everyone knew that today was Serah's day.

Snow grinned from beside the purple clad man, his blue eyes lighting up at seeing Serah. Caius watched the younger Farron sister smile brightly at seeing her future partner. These two truly loved one another. It was a heartwarming sight.

The dance between betrothed was usually performed alone, or only with close friends and family nearby. Caius and Lightning didn't plan to stay and would now leave to give the couple some privacy. Snow hadn't officially proposed yet so both knew he would do it today.

Snow gave Caius a thumbs up and rushed over to the women. After he announced his presence with a cry of 'SERAAAAAH!', he saw Lightning give her sister a hug and then her boyfriend a glare. Then, the older Farron quickly launched herself in the air to let them have their moment in peace.

Caius spent a few moments gazing at her beautiful ivory and gold wings before finally taking to the air as well. She hadn't bothered acknowledging him, which was a little frustrating. He followed her for while until they were far from the ritual grounds. Lighting stopped to turn around when she noticed her was still behind her. Her wingbeats slowed, but kept her aloft. Caius stopped close to her.

"Stop following me, Caius." The hostility in her voice was obvious.

"Am I following you? I believe we are just heading towards the same destination." Caius smirked, knowing his answer would annoy the woman before him.

"What do you want?" Lighting asked bluntly, not believing him.

"Many things. Some good food, a new sword, a wife."

Lightning was already not in the greatest of moods. She felt a surge of anger and narrowed her eyes at the man before her.

"A wife? I didn't think you were interested in anything but your hair and ego." The woman scoffed.

"Funny. But I am serious. I do plan on taking mate soon." Lightning felt a pang of disappointment at those words. Did everyone have someone in their lives? It was no matter, she thought, she had done everything alone and could take care of herself alone as well.

"Interesting, I wonder who the unlucky female is. Someone I know?" Lighting asked a little less angrily, as she was genuinely curious. The woman could admit Caius wasn't a bad looking man, so she figured there were quite a few women interested in him.

"You know her quite well actually."

"Don't play around. Who is it?"

"Take a guess." His smile was infuriating.

"Fang?" Lighting guessed, Fang being one of the first women that came to mind.

"Wrong."

"Vanille."

"Really, her? Wrong again." Caius seemed to be about to laugh at her. Lightning felt another surge of annoyance. The woman vowed to find out who it was.

Lightning guessed several more women but they were wrong too. The older Farron wasn't close with a lot of people and found herself running out of names quickly.

"All wrong. Shall I give you a hint?"

"Why don't you just tell me?" Lightning sighed. She was growing tired of this but she was willing to play along. If she didn't find out who Caius liked then it would bother her that she didn't know.

"That wouldn't be fun at all would it? Well, here's a few hints. She's beautiful and strong."

"Everyone says that about the one they like." Lightning replied.

"She is especially desirable when she is angry. And she is angry frequently."

"Around you? I bet most women are."

"Not very many actually. I think she uses her anger to hide her attraction to me." Caius stated. Lightning snorted at that. So full of himself, was he? He continued. "She has had a hard life and has had to rely on herself more than she should have, especially since she was given such heavy responsibilities at a young age."

Lightning could relate to this woman, she thought. Caius looked at her expectantly but she shook her head. She had no guesses, she was sure she had already named all the women she knew. Unless she wanted to guess herself or Serah.

Wait , the woman thought. Caius wouldn't … The man wouldn't go that far to mess with her would he?

"Need more? She likes to pretend hear heart is stone but really does have a caring personality. I believe she's just afraid to show it." Caius continued without giving her a chance to guess, though she did not have one anyway. She was getting suspicious however.

"She has a piercing set of blue eyes and wings as stunning as new fallen snow lit by the sun." Lightning narrowed her eyes at Caius's words. There were other women who had wings and eyes like hers.

He'd better not-

"She named herself after a dangerous element of nature. Her sister just made her commitment to the man of her dreams today."

In a flash, Lighting had summoned her armor and had a blade to Caius's throat before he had a chance to react. Two furious blue eyes bore into his own. He looked calmly back at her, like he had been expecting her reaction.

"That funny to you Ballad?" Lightning growled out. She would not be made fun of like this. This was unusually cruel. She hadn't thought Caius was capable of it.

"Not at all." He grabbed her hand and forced the blade from away his throat. She allowed him, not really willing to try and hurt him even if she was angry.

"Is this how you treat all the men that confess to you? It's no wonder they stay away. But… At least that increases my chances."

"Knock it off! This joke's gone too far." Lightning hissed and beat her wings, twisting her hand out of his grip. She moved away from him, before she really did take a swipe, only to see him summon his own armor.

"This is no joke. I would never do something like this solely to humiliate you." Caius said so seriously that Lightning had to pause. Was he really telling the truth? But why would he want her? Caius continued talking. "Now then, you have a man who has just confessed himself to you. Will you not give him a reply?"

Lightning stared at him, anger still burning inside her. But now also confusion. A man she had fought with for so long was implying that he wanted her. She didn't know what to think. Part of her felt like he was lying still. But would Caius be that cruel? He had never done anything like that before.

What if he was telling the truth?

Would it be so bad to allow someone in? Caius was infuriating at times, but he wasn't a bad man. He was in the same situation as she. He was also a Knight like her. He also took care of Yeul like she had her sister.

Taking a deep breath, the woman decided she needed to get away for now. This was something she didn't know how to deal with. A retreat was in order. She'd talk to Caius again another time and figure out what the hell was going on with him and why he was suddenly interested in her.

With a last glance at the purple-haired man, Lightning dived down letting gravity speed her away from him. Almost near the ground, the Knight of Etro opened her wings to use that speed in her flight.

Caius was left there, alone and surprised. He expected to have been chewed out or at least punched once. He guessed Lightning had been overwhelmed by his confession more than he thought. That was good. That could possibly mean he had more of a chance than he originally thought.

The man mentally called his Eidolon to help him. Anticipating trouble, Caius had already summoned the otherworldly creature in case he was needed. The dragon was hiding in the forest that surrounded the ritual grounds. His Eidolon would distract Lightning so that he could catch up to her and finish their conversation.

In the distance, he saw Bahamut raise himself from the tree tops. The great beast roared to announce himself and sped towards the winged female. It swept in front of her, causing her to slow down or risk herself smashing into it. It snapped at her and the woman backed up. She turned away to try and get around the beast but it followed.

By the time Lightning tried to summon her own Eidolon to help her, Caius caught up and teleported behind her. The woman found her wings pinned to her back, with Caius's arms around her. She was too startled to move, at first.

"Do you know how some of our ancestors used to find mates?" Caius asked. He didn't wait for an answer. "Males would first display their beauty for the females. Some females would choose their mates then, others would would challenge those that interested them to a game of sorts." Lighting wiggled trying to get him to release her. She tried kicking and throwing her head back to hit the man, to no avail. He expected her attempts and prevented her from breaking free or hurting him.

Caius held her in a tight grip and kept going. "If the males could catch her, they were worthy of becoming her mate. Some females would let themselves be caught by the males they liked. Only the leader of the females would really take the challenge to heart and try her best to never allow any male to capture her. She was known to be vicious and even kill potential mates in these games. Because of this only the most worthy would ever think of trying to become her mate."

"Caius, before I kill you. Let. Me. Go! " Lightning yelled angrily, hoping the man would listen.

"In a minute. Just answer me this. Will you accept my challenge?"

"This isn't funny Caius." The woman was getting desperate now. Why wouldn't this man leave her alone? She needed some time to just think. Things were even more confusing now.

At Caius's explanation of their ancestors, a part of Lightning seemed to almost like the thought of being courted in such a way. A part of her wanted to know the exhilaration of being pursued. For some reason, a part of thought that allowing such a challenge from a male and proving to him that he had no chance was exciting . There was no way she would lose such a challenge.

"It's not a joke! Why can you not understand that I want you. Only you." Caius demanded.

"I don't understand why you would choose me! There are hundreds of women who would want you. Why me?"

"Didn't I already explain? Just answer me. Will you allow me to challenge you? If I win I'm not asking for marriage, just for you to give me a chance."

"And this is your way of doing that? You couldn't have just asked me out?"

"Like you would have accepted." Caius scoffed. "What I'm doing feels right. The dragon in my blood wants this. Does yours not feel the same? If you win, I will leave you alone. If I win, you must give me a chance."

"You'll never bring this up again if I win?" Lighting asked, considering it.

"No." He replied. "If that is your wish then I will never mention this again. We will go back to our previous relationship or, if you really wish it, I will never be in your presence unless absolutely necessary."

"And if you win and I don't want to be with you?"

"I will accept that, as long as you first give me a chance." Caius responded.

"... Fine then, I accept. If I reach the city I win." With that Lightning used every bit of her strength to bring her head forward and then backward, sucessfully smashing it against Caius forehead. Not expecting it that time, the Knight of Chaos released Lightning with a pained cry. She took the chance to make her escape.

I still wonder to myself why I wrote this. ^.^'